Greetings

Welcome to Rui Arts and Crafts!

Rui Arts and Crafts began with the desire to bring more of Japan's wonderful crafts into the lives of people around the world. Our daily lives are full of Western things, and they have become a part of our daily lives, but in Europe, where I lived for many years, we don't often see Japanese products other than cars, electronics or foods.

It may be unavoidable considering the historical power relations. However, we are now in the 21st century, where goods and information can easily cross borders. People are tired of mass-produced standardized products and are seeking items tailored to individual tastes from around the world. In such a time, craftsmen who have preserved the merits of handmade goods while cherishing the aesthetic sensibilities cultivated throughout Japanese history are, once again, essential.

Nishijin textiles are made from silk threads, and pottery is crafted from clay. Creating such beautiful things from elements found in nature stems from our fundamental desire for beauty as a human being, and it's something that can only be achieved through human wisdom, ingenuity, and technological expertise; something AI still cannot replicate.

Above all, I hope you can feel our history, our sense of beauty and the thoughts of the creators imbued in items crafted by human hands!

 

Makiko Ruike 

 

Graduated from Waseda University; studied at the University of London and the University of Vienna, earning a doctorate. Lived in the UK, Switzerland, and Austria for 20 years before moving to Kyoto, currently residing in the Nishijin area.